Karen Elizabeth (Hein) Hunt, 20 Oct 1942 - 10 Sep 2022

HUNT, HEIN, BAUM, LOWDER

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 9/14/2022 at 16:02:43

Karen E. Hunt, age 79, of Marengo, passed away Saturday, September 10, 2022, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 17, 2022, at First Presbyterian Church, Marengo with Pastor Anni Thorn officiating. For those who cannot attend, the services will be live streamed via the First Presbyterian Church’s Facebook page. Inurnment will be at the Oakwood Cemetery in Berlin, Wisconsin at a later date. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2022, at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. A memorial fund has been established.

Karen is survived by her loving husband of 49 years Sam of Marengo; her three sons, Jarryd Lowder of Glarus, Switzerland; Josh (Tammy) Hunt of Orlando, FL., Jesse Hunt of Adel, and nine grandchildren Abigail, Hudson, Levi and Maisie-Lynn Hunt; Matilda and Loretta Lowder, Dylan, Brody and Rylee Hunt; and her brother Owen Hein of Evanston, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Fred Hein.

Karen Elizabeth Hein was born October 20, 1942, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the third child of Dr. Frederick and Vera Baum Hein. She graduated from Glenbard High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois with the class of 1960. Karen received her bachelor’s degree in K-8 Elementary Education in 1964 from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. She taught at Robert Lucas and Helen Lemme Elementary Schools in Iowa City for over six plus years.

Karen met Sam in February of 1972, at a singles club in Iowa City where you brought your own bread and recipe for it. They were united in marriage on June 2, 1973, at City Park in Iowa City. The couple moved to Marengo in the summer of 1982.

Karen taught 3- and 4-year-old preschool at the First Presbyterian Church in Marengo, and also worked for an antique store in Amana. In 1986, Karen opened Marengo’s first daycare center Cottontail Corner Daycare which sat across the street from the Presbyterian Church. In the mid 1990’s Karen worked as the director of the Amana Clear Creek Preschool and daycare program. In 1999 she became the director of the Grinnell Community Daycare Center, retiring at the end of 2008.

Karen had a strong faith and determination, pouring her life into others, serving the community and children that she cared for. She enjoyed calligraphy, going to flea markets, garage sales and antique stores. She loved reading, decorating for the seasons and holidays and attending different prayer groups. One of her greatest joys in life was being Mimi to her 9 grandchildren who meant the world to her.

Online condolences: www.kklosterfuneralhome.com.

Published in The Gazette on September 13, 2022.